Indian Super League: Chennaiyin FC bounce back, thrash Mumbai FC 5-1

October 29, 2014

Chennai, Oct 29: Chennaiyin FC marquee player Elano Blumer and John Mendoza fired two goals each to steamroll a hapless Mumbai FC 5-1 and bounce back from their previous match defeat in the Hero Indian Super League here on Tuesday.

ChennaiyinBrazilian Elano, with his two goals (ninth and 69th minutes) today, became the highest goal scorer in the ISL and was adjudged the hero of the match, while Colombian Mendoza scored the third and fourth goals (40th and 44th). In between, Indian striker Jeje Lalpekhlua netted the second goal for Chennaiyin FC in the 26th minute.

For Mumbai, Syed Rahim Nabi scored the consolation goal in the 87th minute following a corner kick.

In fact, Elano, who found the target from the penalty spot and from a free kick, could have scored on two other occasions also.

Chennaiyin FC manager-cum-player and 2006 World Cup winner Marco Materrazi took the field for the first time in the ISL and the home side controlled for most part of the match against the visitors who has lost their previous match at home at the hands of NorthEast United FC.

With Materrazi coming out to the huge delight of the Chennai fans, the home side showed better co-ordination and cohesion in both attack and defence than against Delhi Dynamos who had thrashed them 4-1 in their previous match at the national capital.

Indian cricket captain and co-owner of Chennaiyin FC, Mahendra Singh Dhoni was seen celebrating at each goal scored by his team.

Former France and Chelsea star Nicholas Anelka's presence did not bring any change on the fortunes of the Mumbai side who have now lost three matches out of the four they have played so far.

Anelka was playing for the first time for Mumbai City FC as he was serving a five-match ban by Football Association in England for quenelle gesture in December while playing for West Bromwich Albion in the English Premier League.

With Materrazi deciding to take the field and manning the central defence, there was total transformation in the attitude of the home players who got the gaps at the Mumbai FC defence.

Throughout the first half, Mumbai players lacked the thrust at the midfield and the defenders played high upfront so often that they let a lot of space on the field between goalkeeper Subrata Paul and midfield.

The home side apparently noticed this and changed their strategy to apply pressure on the wings to find the openings.

Elano and Mendoza combined beautifully. Mendoza will hold onto the ball to move on the centre or snatch from the legs of Mumbai midfield and sped down the wings, mostly on the right.

Whenever he was tackled by the defenders, Elano would be the trump card to take the free-kick and Materrazi, who was substituted in the 58th minute by Bojan Djordjic, to go upfront to try and get the chance to score. This worked well for the home side.

Chennaiyin FC play Atletico de Kolkata in their next game at home on on November 4.

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News Network
March 28,2020

Milan, Mar 28: Juventus star Paulo Dybala revealed how he "struggled to breathe" after contracting coronavirus which has killed over 9,000 people in Italy.

The Argentine international announced last Saturday he was one of three Juventus players to catch the virus along with Daniele Rugani and Blaise Matuidi, who both had no symptoms.

"I feel better now after some strong symptoms," the 26-year-old Dybala told JTV channel.

"A couple of days ago I was not well, I felt heavy and after five minutes of movement I had to stop because I was struggling to breathe.

"Now I can move and walk to start trying to train, because when I tried in the past few days I started to shake too much.

"I gasped for air and as a result I couldn't do anything, after five minutes I was already very tired, I felt the body heavy and my muscles hurt.

"Now I'm fine. My fiancee Oriana (Sabatini) has also overcome the symptoms."

Dybala has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, including in league leader's Juventus's last game against Inter Milan before Serie A and all sport in Italy was suspended.

"The goal against Inter was the greatest emotion, (Aaron) Ramsey provided the perfect assist - it's a pity that there was no public," added Dybala.

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Agencies
March 15,2020

Chennai, Mar 15: Wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni has left the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) training camp following the postponement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) amidst the coronavirus scare.

The former India skipper had joined the CSK's camp earlier this month in order to practice for the upcoming IPL season.

CSK's official handle tweeted a video of Dhoni and captioned the post as: "It has become your home sir!" Keep whistling, as #Thala Dhoni bids a short adieu to #AnbuDen".

Thirty-eight-year-old Dhoni has been currently enjoying some time away from the game. He last played competitive cricket during the 2019 World Cup.

Dhoni had to face criticism for his slow batting approach during India's matches in the tournament.

Earlier this year, Dhoni did not find a place for himself in the BCCI's centrally contracted players list.

BCCI had released the list of central contract list of players for the period from October 2019 to September 2020.

On Friday, BCCI decided to postpone the IPL until April 15 as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, all the IPL franchises met in Mumbai to discuss as to how to go on with the tournament in the future.

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News Network
February 14,2020

London, Feb 14: Former Sri Lanka skipper and current Marylebone Cricket Club's president Kumar Sangakkara has said that the 2009 Lahore terror attack taught him about his own character and values.

His remarks came as MCC arrived in Pakistan to play T20I matches against Lahore Qalandars. This will mark his first return to the Gaddafi Stadium, where a shocking atrocity took place when the Sri Lankan bus was attacked by terrorists.

The Sri Lankan team was on their way to Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium for a Test match with Pakistan in 2009 when terrorists from the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) fired indiscriminately at their bus. The attack left eight people dead and injured seven Sri Lankan players and staff.

Ever since the incident, no cricket team toured Pakistan to play a cricket series, however, the landscape changed last year as Sri Lanka paid a visit to the country to play a series across formats. After that, even Bangladesh toured Pakistan and now there are talks of South Africa going to the country to play a series.

"I don't think I need any flashbacks, because I remember that day and those moments so very clearly. It's not something I relive or wallow in. But it's an experience you should never forget, because it gives you perspective in terms of life and sport, and you learn a lot about your own values and characters, and those of others," ESPN Cricinfo quoted Sangakkara as saying.

"I have no reservations about talking about it, it's not something that upsets me, but these sorts of experiences can only strengthen you. Today I consider myself very fortunate to be able to come back here to Lahore, and at the same time remember the sacrifice of all those who lost their lives that day," he added.

Sangakkara said that every human has his own way of dealing with such adversity.

"I think everyone deals with it in their own personal way. But at the same time, what really unites us is that you face adversity and you face challenges, and you have to get past it, and you've got to do that successfully. It's about moving forwards and upwards and being part of cricket. Being Sri Lankan you learn those lessons quite well, because, throughout our civil war, cricket was a unique vibe," Sangakkara said.

"We speak about the attack at various times. We even have a laugh about it, in terms of what we went through because it helps sometimes to look at it with a bit of humour, even though there was a tragic loss of life, and other serious injuries within that incident," he added.

MCC in the weeklong tour will take on Lahore Qalandars in a T20 match at the Gaddafi Stadium later today.

Kumar Sangakkara will lead the MCC's twelve-man squad for the tour, which includes Ravi Bopara, Roelof van der Merwe, Ross Whiteley among others.

Fixtures for the upcoming tour are as follows:

MCC vs Lahore Qalandars, T20I, Gaddafi Stadium, February 14

MCC vs Pakistan Shaheens, ODI, Aitchison College, February 16

MCC vs Northern, Aitchison College, T20I, February 17

MCC vs Multan Sultans, Aitchison College, T20I, February 19.

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